Genesis 4:16

Genesis 4:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
• New International Version (NIV)So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden.

Context of Genesis 4:16

14Since you are banishing me today from the face of the earth, and I must hide from your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.” 15Then the Lord replied to him, “In that case, whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” And he placed a mark on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him. Then Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. 17Cain was intimate with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain became the builder of a city, and he named the city Enoch after his son. 18Irad was born to Enoch, Irad fathered Mehujael, Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech.

Genesis 4:16 word by word

וַיֵּ֥צֵא קַ֖יִן מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־נ֖וֹד קִדְמַת־עֵֽדֶן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Cainקַ֫יִןqayin · CainH7014
• went outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• from the presenceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• and dweltיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• of Nodנוֹדnôd · NodH5113
• on the eastקִדְמָהqidmâh · eastH6926
• of Edenעֵ֫דֶן‛êden · EdenH5731

Cross-references for Genesis 4:16

• Genesis 4:14Since you are banishing me today from the face of the earth, and I must hide from your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.”
• Genesis 3:8Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
• Exodus 20:18All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the ram’s horn, and the mountain surrounded by smoke. When the people saw it they trembled and stood at a distance.
• 2 Kings 13:23but the Lord was gracious to them, had compassion on them, and turned toward them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was not willing to destroy them. Even now he has not banished them from his presence.
• 2 Kings 24:20Because of the Lord’s anger, it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he finally banished them from his presence. Then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
• Job 1:12“Very well,” the Lord told Satan, “everything he owns is in your power. However, do not lay a hand on Job himself.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.
• Job 2:7So Satan left the Lord’s presence and infected Job with terrible boils from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
• Job 20:17He will not enjoy the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and curds.
• Psalms 5:11But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them shout for joy forever. May you shelter them, and may those who love your name boast about you.
• Psalms 68:2As smoke is blown away, so you blow them away. As wax melts before the fire, so the wicked are destroyed before God.
• Jeremiah 23:39I will surely forget you. I will throw you away from my presence — both you and the city that I gave you and your ancestors.
• Jeremiah 52:3Because of the Lord’s anger, it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he finally banished them from his presence. Then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
• John 1:3All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.
• Matthew 18:20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.”
• Luke 13:26Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’
• 1 Thessalonians 1:9for they themselves report what kind of reception we had from you: how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God

Commentaries on Genesis 4:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16The land of Nod - As נוד nod signifies the same as sa נד , a vagabond, some think this verse should be rendered, And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, from the east of Eden, and dwelt a vagabond on the earth; thus the curse pronounced on him, Genesis 4:12, was accomplished.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-16Verses 1-16 - Section IV - The Family of Adam - Cain and Abel 1. קין qayı̂n Qain (Cain), “spear-shaft,” and קנה qānah “set up, establish, gain, buy,” contain the biliteral root קן qan “set up, erect, gain.” The relations of root words are not confined to the narrow rules of our common etymology, but really extend to such instinctive usages as the unlettered speaker will invent or employ. A full examination of the Hebrew tongue leads to the conclusion…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-18Verses 16-18 Cain cast off all fear of God, and attended no more on God's ordinances. Hypocritical professors, who dissemble and trifle with God, are justly left to themselves to do something grossly scandalous. So they throw off that form of godliness to which they have been a reproach, and of which they deny the power. Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and we never find that he came into it again, to his comfort. The land Cain dwelt in was…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16The name Nod (which means "wandering") describes Cain's fate (see 4:12, 14) more than a specific place. It suggests a life of wandering, and its exact location is unknown. Cain’s sin denied him rest and a sense of belonging. Cain’s exile east of Eden is another point of connection with Adam’s story (compare 3:24). Cain did not learn from his father’s sin, so he also experienced separation from the ground and was driven east into exile (see study note on…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. presence of the Lord--the appointed place of worship at Eden. Leaving it, he not only severed himself from his relatives but forsook the ordinances of religion, probably casting off all fear of God from his eyes so that the last end of this man is worse than the first (Mt 12:45). land of Nod--of flight or exile--thought by many to have been Arabia-Petræa--which was cursed to sterility on his account.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 4:16

• Cain
• Curse
• Eden
• Genealogy
• Nod

In the dictionaries

• Cain
• Eden
• Eden, garden of Eden
• Abel
• Adam
• Blood
• Call
• Cursed
• Fall
• Fat

Commentaries on Genesis 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings